The situation was made more dangerous by the pro-government civilians that gathered outside the mosque, waiting to attack the protesters when they emerged. The New York Times reports that soldiers first tried to peacefully escort demonstrators from the building, but “they faced difficulties because of the crowd.” The mosque is now said to be “secured.”

Meanwhile, a government spokesman announced on Saturday that interim prime minister Hazem el-Beblawi has proposed the dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was banned from Egypt in 1954 but registered as a nongovernmental organization in March. (It also has a legally registered a political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, following the 2011 downfall of Hosni Mubarak.) Later, el-Beblawi adviser Mostafa Hegazy held a press conference during which he said Egypt faced “war by the forces of extremism” and promised to fight “extremism and terrorism through security measures.” The Muslim Brotherhood has vowed to keepprotesting.